Talking machine



Mar. 6, 1923. 1,447,343

' J. A. FERN TALKING MACHINE Original Filed Apr. .16 1920' 5sheets-sheet 1 G .JNVENTOR.

Q M 5 i I I /4 3 H I TTORNEY.

J. A. FERN TALKING MACHINE Mar. 6, 1923.

Original Filed Apr. 16, 1920 5 sheets-sheet 2 H TTORNEV.

Patented Mar. 6, 192 3.

hat-Z343 JOHN A. FERN, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

TALKING MACHINE.

Application filed April 16, 1920, Serial. No. 374,271.

To all 10 [tom it may con cern Be it known that I, JOHN A. FERN, acitizen of the United States, residing at the city of Cincinnati, in thecounty of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in T alking Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple, unique, and highlyefiicient talking machine, which shall possess a marked degree ofutility.

In carrying out my invention, I place the the parts of a talking machineinto a more desirable combination and arrangements, so that the tonewill be improved; that its volume and strength can be modulatedconveniently, readily and perfectly, and the appearance of the machineenhanced, and its shape and contour is of such a nature that all theparts are positioned to produce a superior talking machine.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part oi this specification.

Fig. 1, is a perspective view of my new talking machine,

Fig. 2, is a front view, parts broken away to show construction,

Fig. 3, is a longitudinal section, showing shutters closed, parts brokenaway, to show construction,

Fig. 4, is a similar view showing shutters open and parts broken away toshow construction,

Fig. 5, is a similar view showing lower shutter only partly open, partsof the machine being broken away,

Fig. 6, is a plan view, the lid and inner cover removed showing shape ofhorn,

Fig. 7, is a section on line 7, 7, of Fig. 6,

Fig. 8, is a section on line 8-S of Fig. 3, parts broken away to showconstruction, and

Fig.9, is a view same as shown in Fig. 6, of a modified form.

The body of the machine is composed of side walls 1 and 2 and bottom 3,the walls merging and assuming a rounded form at the rear of the machineas shown at 4, the wall 2 also curving inwardly to form the roundedshape 4, at point 5, thus the frame is narrow at the back part and wideat the front. as shown.

This frame is supported on legs'G. A

Renewed July 29, 1922. Serial No. 578,512.

cover or top 7 is placed on the frame of the machine, preferably hingedat 8 to side 1 and is held up'by a supporting rod 9.

At the front of the body part or frame, I place cross strips or bars 10and 12 and midway bet-ween them I place a division board 13; thisdivision board or strip being present preferably where the sides arestepped as shown at M; by this construction one halt (the lower) of thefront, sets or extends forward or beyond the upper half of the front asshown.

In the rear end of the machine is a chamber 15, and this chamber iscovered by a removable cover or lid 16; on the bottom of this cover 16are placed the motor and other working parts which are not shown, asthey are or the usual construction and are accommodated in the chamber15.

On the top of this cover 16, I place the record holding disc 17 and thetone arm is marked 18; the tone arm extends down through the cover 16and is connected at this point to the inner end of the horn 19, seeparticularly Figs. 6 and 7. The horn then extends forward in a curvedform hugging the contour of the side 2 until it reaches the point 21,where it extends outward and flares and widens to form the amplifier orchamber 22, the inclined board 23 forming the .top of the amplifyingchamber.

At the front of the machine and at the front of the amplifying chamber22, I place two shutters or fall boards 2 1 and 25; the shutter 24 beingpivoted at the point 26 and the lower shutter 25 being pivoted at thepoint 27.

From the bottom 3, I extend a lyre composed of the two element ormembers 28 and 29 held together at bottom by a foot piece 30.

In the lyre, I provide two long levers or push rods, 31 and 32,connected at the bottom to back of pedals 33 and 34c, pivotallyconnected at 35. These levers 31 and 32 extend upwardly and at their toppass through guides 36, their upper-ends striking against a plate 37 ona rocker arm or rod 38 to which it is rigidly attached. The rocker armis guided in brackets 39 and is L shape in the present instance, (seeFig. 8). At the end of the rocker arm 38, is provided a link 40 throughwhich the rocker arm passes. At its other end, the link 1-0 is pivotallyconnected to the lower shutter 25 as shown at 41.

On the side of the machine, I place a bracket 42, onto which I pivot orfulcrum alever 43, at its top end provided with a short arm or link ad,which is also connected to the upper shutter M, at point 4:5.

If it'is desired to operate the shutters or fall boards 2% and 25 theoperator passes on the pedal 34, this forces up the rod 32, and its topend strikes the plate 37, this tilts the rocker arm 38, which operateslink a0, which in turn pulls down the lower shutter 25, (if the treadleis only slightly pressed upon), forcing the shutter and parts to assumethe position shown in Fig. 5, where, it will be observed the shutter isonly approximately half open, thus the sound emitted from. theamplifying chamber will be softand mild and not loud; if it is desiredto force the shutter entirely open, the pressure on pedal 3a isincreased, this pressure, through rod 32, rocker arm 38 and link 40,forces the shutter entirely open, as shown in Fig. 4;. This lastoperation also forces open the upper shutter 24 as follows; when theshutter 25, as shown in Fig. 5, only half open, on account of the slightpressure used, as above set forth, to open it only partly, it liesagainst the lever 4L3; then, when greater pressure is exerted, theshutter 25 presses against and pushes the said lever 43, this operateslink 44-, which being pivot-ally connected to the upper shutter 2d, atto, forces the shutter open, (see particularly Fig. 4:).

If it is desired to close the shutters the pedal 33 is stepped upon andpressed, and this operates rod 31 upwardly and forces it to engage theplate 37 on the opposite side, tilting the rod 38 back into normalposition, thus forcing link a0 to push the shutter 25 up into closedposition; by reason of the shutter assuming normal closed position,pressure on the lever 4:3 is released and the upper shutter 24: fallsback into normal closed position.

In Fig. 9, the horn 19 is very short and the time arm 18, connects withit at the point where the amplifying chamber 22 he gins; when thisconstruction is used the tone or sound waves do not need to travel farbefore reaching the amplifying chamber 2'2.

In Figs. 1 and 3, the shutters are all shown opened, in Figs. 2, 3 and 8they are shown closed and in Fig. 5, the lower shutter is shownpartially open.

When the shutters are entirely open the full volume of sound is emittedfrom the amplifyingchamber.

It will be readily observed that my system and mechanism for operatingthe shutters, is simple and convenient and efiicient in operation.

It will also be observed that the arrangement of the parts is unique,compact and desirable, for the formation of a talking niachine.

I wish to be understood as claiming any modifications which will fallwithin the scope of this specification.

hat I claim as new and my invgition and desire to secure by LettersPatent is? 1. The combination with a talking machine having anamplifier, of a. plurality of movably mounted shutters for controllingthe emission of sound from the mouth of the amplifier, means foractuating one of said shutters, and means connected to the other shutterand engage-able with and disengageable from the first mentioned shutterfor causing operation of the second mentioned shutter only after thefirst mentioned shutter has completed a portion of its movement.

2. A. combination of the kind defined by claim 1 in which the means foroperating the second mentioned shutter includes a pivotally mountedlever positioned to been gaged by the first mentioned shutter, and alink pivotally connected to the second mentioned shutter and to saidlever.

3. A talking machine including a. shallow casing having sides providedwith front edges of step formation, an amplifier within said casing andhaving its mouth arranged at the front of said casing, aplate extendingacross the mouth of said amplifier and dividing said mouth into upperand lower openings, a shutter for closing the upper opening, a secondshutter arranged forwardly of the first mentioned shutter and adapted toclose the lower opening,

means for actuating the second shutter, and means connected to the firstmentioned shut ter and engageable with and disengageab-le from thesecond mentioned shutter for causing operation of the first mentionedshut ter only after the second mentioned shutter has completed a portionof its move ment.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature at Cincinnati, Ohio, this13th day of April, 1920.

JOHN A. FERN.

